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The Greatest Park 
IN THE World 

PALISADES 
INTERSTATE PARK 

Its Purpose, History 
and Achievements 




By 
ARTHUR P. ABBOTT 






Copyright, 1914, 

by 

Historian Publishing Go. 

new york city 



All rights reserved 



NOV 14 1914- 
©CI.A389343 



AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION 

A casual trip to Bear Mountain first brought to me the 
realization that the Atlantic seaboard had at last secured a 
great park. And two vacation seasons spent among its natural 
beauties and in enjoyment of its offerings to the public have 
made me, as it has a host of others, most enthusiastic and 
optimistic as to its present and future. 

And that others may enjoy what I have enjoyed so much, 
and he benefited as I have been, has been the inspiration of 
this little book. 

My relation with the Park Commission has been no closer 
than that of hundreds of others who have become interested 
in this great project. For this reason this book can be con- 
sidered in no way as being official or, so far as I am aware, 
reflecting the sentiments or plans of the Commission. Con- 
sequently, it is in no way an advertisement of the park or of 
any individual connected with it in an official capacity. I wish, 
however, to express my appreciation of the courtesies extended 
to me by the Commission and for assistance rendered by it in 
securing data. 

There is a great deal of interesting information which space 
has not permitted me to use, as it has been my thought to 
present only such a summary as would direct attention to and 
arouse interest in what I firmly believe to be one of the greatest 
opportunities ever placed before a State or municipality for 
securing healthful vacation pleasures at small cost. 

What Palisades Interstate Park has done for me it offers 
you, and if this little book enables you to secure a more 
bountiful share in its offerings or enlists you in the rapidly 
growing army of its enthusiastic friends, I shall feel I have 
added my mite to the world's work. 




Contents 

Page 

Introduction 3 

The Heritage 6 

The Cause 7 

The Purpose 10 

Park Divisions 13 

PaHsades 13 

Bear Mountain 18 

Points of Interest. 33 

Harriman Estate 38 

Camping 40 

Forest Preservation 47 

Henry Hudson Drive 49 

Police Department 50 

Other Sections of the Park 51 

Points of Interest Along the Hudson 52 

General Information 57 

History of PaHsades Interstate Park Commission 58 

A Prophecy 61 



List of Illustrations 

V The Heritage 

/The Cause 

^The Purpose 

^ The Palisades 
>/ Bear Mountain 
v/ Map Revolutionary Period 

v/Xanding at Bear Mountain 
^/ Anthony's Nose 

/Highland Lake 

/ Boat Landing at Highland Lake 

/ Car Pond 

/ A Tent in the Mountains 

J At the Spring 

/ A Summer Home 

/ Plans for Sunmier Home (Outhne) 

>/A Western Prairie 

/An Artificial Forest on the Prairie 

i^ Police at Bear Mountain 

/ Hook Mountain 
y Folk Dance at Blauvelt 

/ Nature's Schoohoom 



The Heritage 

From out the city's stifling streets, 
Away from its noise and strife. 

To wood that's green and babbling streams 
Unto Nature's joyous life, 

The call comes strong from Sunmierland, 
From the mountains, lakes and streams, 

Inviting all its rest to share 
And to dream its Srnnmer dreams. 

From Nature's cup that's brinuning o'er 
With unstinted store of health, 

We quaff a toast to ripe old age 
As heirs of its boundless wealth. 

For beauteous land redeemed has been 
From Commerce's grasping fee, 

A heritage through coming years 
And a joy to you and me. 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



The Cause 

In a diary kept by Robert Juet, who accompanied 
Henry Hudson on his voyage which resulted in the dis- 
covery of the Hudson River, we find these observations 
relative to the shores of the Hudson : 

" The land was pleasant with grass and flowers and 
goodly trees as ever seen, and very sweet smells came 
from them." And again as they proceeded farther up 
stream: " We went on land to walk on the west side of the 
river and found good ground for corn and other garden 
herbs, with great store of goodly oaks, walnut trees, yew 
trees and trees of sweet wood in great abundance, and a 
great store of slate for houses and other good stones." 
Then as they returned to the Palisades : " Hard by was a 
cliff that looked of the color of white green as though 
it were either copper or silver mine, and I think it to 
be one of them by the trees that grew upon it. For 
they were all burned, and the other places were as green 
as grass." (This refers to a certain cliff on the Palisades 
which was destroyed by the quarrymen but did not 
contain either silver or copper.) 

Thus we see the first representatives of the white 
race to visit this region were attracted by its beauty 
and commercial possibilities. And ever since that time 
both features have appealed, but with a preference for 
the commercial. And had it not been that on this great 
waterway with its shores of " goodly looking land " there 
had been located a great city with its teeming population, 
no doubt those " goodly oaks and great quantities of 

7 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

good stones " would have caused its scenic beauties to 
be sacrificed on the altai of commercialism. 

Before the queuryman's drill the picturesque and 
famous Palisades were fast crumbling. The goodly oaks 
were being stripped from the hills and mountain sides 
and the world-famed Rhine of America was fast becoming 
the rubbish heap of industry. Such a momentum had 
this commercial vandahsm received, that to stem its 
progress and halt forever its activities was a task of 
no small moment. Lovers of American scenery, men 
and women alive to the greater service possible through 
conservation of its parkway possibilities, began this 
stupendous task. 

Space does not permit the detailing of this struggle 
and great cost in money and unselfish and unceasing 
effort. Suffice to say that today the hand of the vandal 
has been arrested and the masses are beginning to reap 
the fruits of their endeavor. With the tide of commer- 
cialism stemmed, and this great work now under the 
guidance of an organized and efficient body, what the 
future has in store is most attractive and gratifying. 
What has been done, the purpose and aim of the Board 
of Commissioners, the offerings to the public, the pos- 
sibilities of the future and some interesting items as to 
its past, will constitute the theme of this book. 

It was not the hopes, and it may not have been the 
dreams,of the pioneers in this great undertaking, to achieve, 
at so early a date, the great results already secured. 
The thought at first was to preserve the Palisades. Here 
the fight was begun and greatest battles waged. But 
when victory here had been won, the practicability and 
desirability of continued endeavor farther up the river 

8 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

became more clear if not imperative. Then about this 
time came the magnificent gift of Mrs. E. H. Harriman 
of some ten thousand acres of land and one million of 
dollars, followed by other millions in money from private 
and public sources, with the now famous Bear Mountain 
tract turned over by the State of New York. Thus in 
rapid succession and in incredible time the Park Com- 
mission fell heir to a large portion of the Hudson High- 
lands and other lands of nearly equal beauty, and the 
most daring dream of a great park, the greatest park in 
the world, was realized. 

So rapidly has this taken place, so magnificent and 
stupendous the undertaking, that while the Board has 
accomplished wonders, if not miracles, their efforts 
have of necessity been scattered over a large territory. 
This has made it impossible to make the showing in any 
one place which would have been possible had the ef- 
forts they have put forth been centered. Another item 
which has made progress more slow is that among the 
various tracts turned over, many private holdings were 
scattered. A great many of these were necessary to 
acquire in order to unify and make more useful and 
valuable the parcels already in hand. To examine titles 
and wait on the movements of courts takes time. And 
that funds be not spent in paying exorbitant prices for 
land or pursuing projects which may be more economi- 
cally carried on at a more opportune time, delays have 
occurred in prosecuting plans already laid. 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



The Purpose 

We have already observed that the prime object 
was to preserve the PaJisades. And while such is yet 
a strong and important motive, the purpose has broadened 
till today it has for its aim the providing of a great play- 
ground and recreation field for the masses, old or young, 
rich or poor. As " sleep knits up the ravell'd sleave 
of care," so recreation heals the bodily ills, lengthens 
life and makes society more pure. 

Nature's teachings are the teachings of the Creator. 
A knowledge of Nature and communion with her children 
make man stronger, broader and better. The life of a 
great city may sharpen the wits, but contact with nature 
will broaden and deepen the understanding. Every great 
municipality is fully alive to the vital necessity of breath- 
ing spots and the importance that such spots be places 
where its population can become acquainted in a small 
way, at least, with nature. The flowers speak a language 
which appeals to all that is good in the human soul. 
The birds are nature's minstrels whose songs are mes- 
sengers of cheer. The trees, the streams, the lakes, the 
hills and valleys are nature's sanctuary and that soul 
must be dead indeed that does not worship on entering it. 

Alive to these facts and to the thought that this 
great natural park lies at the door of the greatest city on 
the globe, with its busy millions of population, the purpose 
is to use the park as a mighty agency for health and 
morality. 

At the beginning of vacation time, the schools turn 

10 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

on the hot and dangerous streets an army of those who 
will be the actors of the next generation. And there 
is no child so pure, no home so sacred, that the evil in- 
fluences of the streets will not reach them in some manner. 
The papers daily chronicle lists of lives of children crushed 
out on the streets, and the juvenile courts are over- 
worked with cases of misconduct, the greater part of 
which could be prevented by removing a part, at least, 
to some healthful country retreat during the vacation 
season. What this great park is today doing and will 
for all time do in this direction, is and will be each year, 
worth its cost to the States interested, to say nothing 
of the individual. 

As great as are its offerings to the season visitor, 
there is yet another purpose which is nearly as great, and 
that is the provision made and being planned for the day 
visitor. The Park Commission is rapidly building some 
of the most substantial and perfect highways found in 
America, through its vast domains. These will for all time 
provide easy access to the interior, which contains some 
of the most beautiful scenery found on the face of the 
globe. Mountains, hills valleys, forests, streams and 
highland lakes are traversed in unceasing number and 
never ending beauty. These roadways are being built to 
withstand the test of time and will forever remain a 
proud monument to their builders. The roar of exploding 
dynamite and the rattle of the steam drill are waking the 
echoes which not since the days of the Revolution have 
been disturbed. But this is an army of peace and progres- 
sion and its conquests are for the benefit of mankind. 

Those who cannot avail themselves of the pleasure 
of an inland journey will find the mighty Hudson has been 

11 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

employed for their benefit. Upon its majestic tide is 
a fleet of floating palaces which daily pass along some 
forty miles of the peirk's intermittent river front. Some 
day, no doubt, this river frontage with some twenty 
or thirty additional miles will be connected. Docking 
facilities have been provided at difi'erent points, and 
these, owing to the rapidly growing popularity of the 
park, are being enlarged. Through this medium, for an 
insignificant sum of money, aU can avail themselves 
of the park's many offerings in the way of a Summerday 
outing. Of what these offerings consist the reader will 
learn on following pages. 



12 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Park Divisions 

For the purpose of better describing this great park, 
we will divide it into three sections: The Palisades, 
Bear Mountain and Harriman Estate. Each of these 
we will take up separately, giving a brief review of their 
history, general appearance and points of interest. 



Palisades 

The Palisades of the Hudson River have been a 
source of interest and wonder to the civihzed world ever 
since the fi'ai'/M^^ow weighed anchor before them. Besides 
being the chief point of interest in the lower reaches of the 
river, they have received much attention from geologists. 
The word " Palisades " is a most fitting title, for they 
form an unbroken line of perpendicular rock varying in 
height from near sea level to 550 feet. The stone is dark 
gray and blue black in color and of a very hard forma- 
tion. As the evening shadows fall upon the river, they 
stand dark, grim and stately, like the ramparts of some 
mighty fortress. If on their silent face there could have 
been recorded the historic scenes which have passed 
before or upon them, no student of history, no lover of 
romance, no American patriot, could ask for a more 
fascinating volume. 

Their lower reaches are washed by the main arm of 
the greatest harbor in the world. From their summit 
can be seen one of the busiest maritime pictures possible. 

13 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

Ocean liners, those leviathans of the deep, bringing the 
multitudes of aliens to our shores, can be seen seeking rest 
from their tempestuous voyages or sailing away to the 
open sea to foreign shores. Fussy tug boats, busy ladened 
ferries, palatial river steamers and ever and anon a fleet 
of those bulldogs of the sea, with their mighty guns, pass in 
review. Then, as a reminder of the past, a sailer with 
her storm-stained sails tacks leisurely along, grateful for 
every breeze which escapes this rocky barrier. At their 
feet nestles a fringe of trees and shrubbery, with every 
now and then a sloping grass-plot. These, together with 
vines entwining and trellising their rocky sides, pre- 
sent a trim which is irresistible to the artist and in- 
viting to those who find a tent in nature's garden an 
attraction. 

In this delightful seclusion the Indian pitched his 
tent and placed high above on their rocky summit sentries 
to watch for the foe. But today the tent of the Summer 
visitor has taken their place and the Park Commission 
acts as the sentinel. 

The first recorded history of the Palisades is found 
in the records of the Dutch West India Company, written 
in the early part of the seventeenth century. At that 
time the great Leni Lempi, or Delaware nation, as named 
by the whites, occupied the west bank of the Hudson up 
to the Catskill Mountains. The tribes of this nation 
occupying the Palisades were the Hackensacks, Rairitans 
and Tappans. These met the whites with ofi'erings of 
peace and received in return the bitter cup of avarice and 
greed. They have melted from the Palisades like the 
winter snows and, aside from the names they gave to 
certain localities, they have left no trace. However, 

14 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

the history of their deahngs with the whites will be found 
most interesting. 

During the Dutch period there were erected many 
picturesque homes, many of which £U"e standing today and 
some occupied by the descendants of their builders. Aside 
from the many Indieui wars which from time to time 
disturbed the sleepy tranquility, yet sturdy progress, 
the whole period reads as a pleasant pastoral. It is not 
till the Dutch have been swallowed up in the game of 
colonization and have become part of a great country, 
which is soon to step into the ranks of nations, that the 
Palisades again provide events of stirring and historic 
interest. 

Those who have read Washington's letters to the 
Continental Congress know that at every opportunity he 
brought before and urged them to spare no time or expense 
in building defences of the Hudson River; for if the Hud- 
son came into possession of the enemy, the cause would 
suffer its greatest loss. The reason for this is fully set 
forth in the narration of the storming of forts Clinton 
and Montgomery. At a point on the Palisades now 
known as Fort Lee, a fort was built and named Fort 
Constitution. This name was changed to Fort Lee on 
October 18th, 1776, in honor of General Chas. Lee, who 
afterward proved a traitor to his country. On the 
opposite shore, a little to the north, was constructed 
another and stronger line of fortifications, the main 
works of which was named, in honor of the Commander- 
in-Chief, Fort Washington. These two forts were con- 
nected by an obstruction across the Hudson River, con- 
sisting of two sunken brigs, two large ships mounted 
with heavy guns, 200 iron fraise of 400 lbs. weight each 

15 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

and logs and other material. Thus it will be seen that 
while the river flowed between, they were each part of 
an elaborate scheme of river fortifications. The storming 
and capture of Fort Washington has been told so fre- 
quently that it need not be repeated here. Suffice to 
say that its capture, with the consequent evacuation of 
Fort Lee, " came within an ace of overwhelming the 
American cause in irretrievable ruin," to use the words 
of an American historian. An item worth mentioning in 
this connection was the heroic act of one of the many 
*' Molly Pitchers " of the Revolution. Margaret Gorbin, 
wife of John Gorbin, who was a matross in the first 
company volunteers of Pennsylvania artillery, was in 
Fort Washington with her husband and when he was 
killed took his place at the gun and served it till shot 
down severely wounded by grape shot. After the sur- 
render she was pEiroled to General Green at Fort Lee and 
taken with other sick and invalid soldiers to Philadelphia. 
After the war she came back to the Hudson and settled 
down at a place called Swim Town, now Highland Falls, 
near West Point. Here she died and her grave, though 
known, lies unmarked and uncared for some five miles 
south of West Point on a rocky hillside overlooking the 
Hudson River. She was the first woman to receive a 
pension from our Government, and the records of such 
are still to be seen at West Point in the handwriting of 
Gaptain Wm. Price, Quartermaster at West Point during 
the period following the close of the war. 

There are several interesting historic spots on the Pali- 
sades. On September 26th, 1900, a monument was 
erected on the site of Fort Lee. This monument repre- 
sents Revolutionary soldiers scaling the Palisades. A 

16 



THE GREATEST P^ABK IN THE WORLD 

few traces of the fort are still to be seen as well as soldiers' 
ovens cut from the rock. The " Washington spring," 
which furnished water to the fort, is still flowing. Several 
old-time houses of Revolutionary fame are still standing 
and those under the jurisdiction of the park are being 
carefully preserved. Another interesting monument is 
that of Alexander Hamilton, who was killed here in a 
duel with Aaron Burr. The monument consists of a 
bust of Hamilton surmounting a boulder against which, 
so says tradition, Hamilton was laid when shot. 

Near the northern end of the Palisades is the village 
of Palisades. This locality is rich in Revolutionary history, 
as it is near Sneed's Landing, spoken of so frequently by 
writers on the Revolutionary War. It was near here that 
the body of the unfortunate Major Andre was first buried. 
It was afterward taken to England. It was at this 
landing that the American flag was first saluted by 
direct order of the British Parhament. Thus it will be 
seen that the Palisades have other and very strong claims 
for their preservation aside from their scenic value. In 
fact, both banks of the Hudson River from its source to 
its mouth are so sacred in American history that, aside 
from being the Rhine of America, it may be properly 
called the shrine of America. And no project of the 
present day is more important than the preservation of 
these priceless mementoes; for they stand as reminders 
to present and future generations of the great struggle 
and sacrifice through which was borne the greatest nation 
in all the world's history, the land of the free and the home 
of the brave. 



17 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Bear Mountain Section 

Inasmuch as this section has already become, and no 
doubt will always remain, the eastern gateway and most 
important section, it is well that a much fuller account be 
given of its history and points of interest. And while 
the writer will endeavor to refrain from wearying his 
readers with routine and lesser details, he will present 
such items as will disclose the fact that few localities in 
America are richer in points of interest and history. In 
this manner he hopes to be able to make more interesting 
and valuable a visit to this section of the park. 

In the first place, strictly speaking, Bear Mountain 
itself is not a mountain at all, but a very high hill, 1314 
feet high at its highest point. It has until recently been 
known as Bear Hill. The reason given for this seems to be 
that in early days the bears made their homes in large num- 
bers among the rocks and caves which cover the entire 
mountain. Not only did they make their homes here, 
but they made many paths which crossed at different 
points and which lead to other peaks surrounding. The 
best reason why the bears should be so partial to this 
mountain or hill is due to the fact that its entire summit 
is covered with luscious blue and bear berries, of which 
the bears are very fond. The last bear seen on 
Bear Mountain was killed about 1845 by a sportsman 
wheelwright named Isaac Stickles. A few of the older 
folk are alive today who saw the carcass of this bear and 
enjoyed some of its steak. One of these is a Mrs. Rose, 
widow of a soldier of the War of 1812, and of course one 

18 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




Co 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

of the very few remaining pensioners of that war. As a 
small girl she saw the men bring the carcass in on a wagon 
and to her it seemed larger than an ox. One of its feet 
was subsequently nailed to a barn door and so remained 
for many years. 

From the eastern summit of Bear Mountain one 
secures a panoramic view of the Hudson River as it winds 
its way through the highlands and loses itself in the haze 
or disappears behind some distant peak. On the opposite 
shore Anthony's Nose rears its head, but not sufficient to 
obstruct the view from behind it. The village of Peekskill 
lies in plain view and the playgrounds of the park and 
Highland Lake are shown as a vast relief map in natural 
colors. A trail has been made up this side which begins 
near the park office and winds about till the top is reached. 
Near the top and close to the trail a tiny mountain stream 
of cold pure water comes tumbling down the side of the 
mountain and furnishes very welcome refreshment to the 
climber. This stream, however, in very dry seasons, 
disappears from the sm-face and flows down through the 
rock beneath. A good climber can reach the summit in 
about half an hour. If he has time he will be wise if he 
continues across the top of the mountain to the western 
peak, which is some 100 feet higher. Here one of the 
most beautiful and fascinating views found in all the 
world is revealed to him. As far away as the eye can 
reach stretch highland ranges. Mountain roads dotted 
with quaint farm houses, lakes reflecting the cloud land, 
villages, streams and woodlands comprise a picture 
of poetic beauty which no brush can paint or pen ade- 
quately describe. While there is nothing to awe with a 
sense of sublimity, yet to a lover of poetic, scenic beauty 

19 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

it appeals and enthralls. The eye of the camera can 
catch its outlines but cannot hold on its film the inspira- 
tion which comes to one beholding with the eye. Here 
one realizes that he does not need to cross the ocean to 
see highland scenery, for here it is in both quality and 
quantity. 

In approaching Bear Mountain from the south, by river, 
the observer will be perplexed at seeing ahead what 
appears to be an abrupt ending of the stream. For 
across the channel stands a range of forest-clad hills 
known as the Manitou Range. But as one approaches, a 
pass will be discovered at the left through which the 
river flows. On entering this, one begins the passage of 
the famous Hudson Highlands. The Dunderbergs at the 
left gradually recede and Bear Mountain appears directly 
in front. On the right a peak, 1228 feet in height, known 
as Anthony's Nose, rises abruptly from the water and 
faces Bear Mountain across the river. At the foot of 
Bear Mountain lies a plateau some 150 feet above the 
river. On this are located the park playgrounds. High- 
land Lake and park buildings. On the brink of the plateau 
and facing the river is planted a towering steel flagstaff 
from which the beautiful folds of Old Glory rise and fall on 
the highland breezes. Up the river emd just north of the 
playgrounds are two cliffs on the summits of which lie 
the remains of Forts Clinton and Montgomery. This, 
spot was the Gibraltar of the Hudson River during 
Revolutionary days. 

It is the habit of writers of American history to treat 
the Indians as a race of barbarians whose only excuse 
for receiving attention at all was that they annoyed the 
first settlers. The tomahawk and scalping knife would 

20 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

appear to be their only possessions and war their only 
occupation. That they had homes and loved ones, that 
they had a government and knew the arts of husbandry, 
that they loved and revered the land of their fathers, 
seems to be wholly lost sight of. Yet the Indian whose 
home was located in the region bounded by the Bear 
Mountain section possessed all these, and virtues, I am sad 
to say, not practiced by the white race. Their orchards and 
gardens, their homes and villages, were as much a source 
of pride to them as the homes and villages of the inhabi- 
tants of today. That the reader may better understand 
these earliest inhabitants, it is well to take a panoramic 
view of their relations and customs. The Algonquin 
nation was the mother of many other nations. Two of 
her children occupied both banks of the Hudson River — 
the Mohegans on the east, from its source to its mouth, 
and on the west from its source to the Gatskill Mountains ; 
the Leni Lempi, or Delawares, on the west bank from 
the Gatskills down to the coast. Each nation was dis- 
tinct and had its own local and general government; the 
capital of the Mohegans being at Schodac, a little below 
Albany, and that of the Delawares at what is now Phila- 
delphia. Each nation was divided into tribes and each 
tribe into clans and families. Their government was 
democratic in the extreme. The Indian knew or tolerated 
no master, and such being the case, all laws were made 
with the understanding that their observation was optional 
with the individual. However, when a law was passed 
at a general council, or a regulation or policy adopted by a 
tribe, public opinion made the breaking of such undesirable 
and unprofitable. 

The tribes occupying the Bear Mountain section at 

21 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

the time of the coming of the whites were the Haver- 
straws and Waornecks, the latter claiming the territory 
by title and the former using it as a hunting ground. 
This often gave rise to friction between the two tribes and 
not infrequently led to bloodshed. The whites who first 
*' purchased " the land woiild often need to purchase it 
twice, first from one tribe and then another, and sometimes 
severed times from the same tribe. This loose system 
was practiced till the British secured control, when all 
land transfers, to be legal and binding, must be recorded 
with the Government. 

Robert Juet, before mentioned as being with Hudson, 
refers to these Indians as " a loving people." And one who 
reads the writings of the early missionaries will find 
this title well founded. 

The beautiful lakes, valleys, hills and streams just 
described were their home, and dusky Indian lovers wan- 
dered along the shores of Lake Assinnapink, as the Indians 
called Highland Lake, many centuries before those of 
today. Their bark canoes rufiled its mirror-like waters 
and shouts of merry laughter re-echoed along the wooded 
sides of Bear Mountain, as do those of the day visitor 
and camping parties now. They plucked the snow-white 
lily along its borders and enjoyed its fragrance. The 
sublime sunrises and sunsets were watched by them in 
enwrapped admiration and wonder. But, like the sun- 
sets, they have faded away into the night of the past and 
only their beautiful home and land of their fathers re- 
mains. This, through the fortunate possession of the 
park, becomes your and my priceless possession and a 
heritage unto generations to come. 

The first white person to secure valid title to the Bear 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

Mountain tract was that land-hungry old Dutchman, 
Stephanus Van Gortlandt. He had previously secured 
some twenty thousand acres of land on the opposite shore 
of the Hudson, which included Anthony's Nose, but the 
land on the Bear Mountain side looked too tempting for 
him to resist. So on July 13th, 1683, he secured a tract, 
described in the deed as follows: " Beginning on the 
south side of a creek called Saukapogh, and so along said 
creek to the head thereof, and then northerly along the 
high hills as the river runneth to another creek called 
Assinnapink, and thence along said creek to the Hudson 
River again, together with a certain island and parcel of 
meadow land near or adjoining same, called Manahawagh- 
kin, and by the Christians, Salsbury Island." The signers 
of this deed were Sackaghemick, chief of the Haverstraws, 
and Werekepesand Kaghtsikoos, owners of the property. 
The streams referred to in the deed relate to a small 
marsh stream south of lona Island, mentioned as Salsbury 
Island, and the tiny stream which is the outlet of Highland 
Lake. The meaning of Assinnapink was water from the 
rock. The hills no doubt refer to Bear Mountain. It 
will be noticed that this cautious old Dutchman secured 
the signature of the chief of the tribe so there could be no 
dispute as to the right to sell. It was the custom to 
secure the consent of a tribe, as often the lands were 
held in common and the act of the individual would 
not be binding on the tribe. The force of this becomes 
apparent when one learns that another deed was given to 
other parties to this same parcel of land by some of the 
same Indians as signed the Van Gortlandt deed, but Van 
Gortlandt was wise enough to secure the name of the chief 
and also to properly record his deed so that his title stood. 

23 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

It is interesting to note here what the Indians received 
in payment for their lands. The following list was the 
purchase price of a stretch of land from where Cornwall 
now stands down to Haverstraw. Compare this list of 
junk to the prices paid today and bear in mind at the 
same time that those who sold at that time occupied the 
land, cultivated parts of it, and that it was their home 
and the land of their fathers for unknown generations: 
150 fathoms of wampum, 120 Royals, 20 fathoms of 
Duffels, 6 guns, 7 brass kettles, 8 blankets, 6 fathoms of 
strouds, 2 cloth coats, 2 broad axes, 5 pair shoes, 6 children's 
shirts, 20 knives, 50 lbs. powder, 30 bars of lead, 25 lbs. 
shot, 2 rolls tobacco, 4 iron pots, 10 tobacco tongues, 10 
tobacco boxes, 4 lbs. brood, 2 half vats single beer, 2 half 
vats of double beer, 5 glass bottles, 5 earthen jugs, 2 pewter 
dishes, 2 bottles with rum, 100 tobacco pipes, 10 hatchets, 
6 drawing knives, 4 adzes, 10 hoes, 10 pair stockings, 8 
shirts, 6 pistols, 10 children's blankets, 2 boys' cloth coats, 
6 boys' duffle coats, 20 gal. rum. It will be noted that 
rum and beer had a prominent place in the inventory and 
it is interesting to read how after the rum had been sold 
to the Indians for their homes and they became intoxicated 
and scalped those who sold to them, they were called 
fiends, savages, etc. The facts are, they were irrespon- 
sible children whom the whites took advantage of in 
every way which they thought would accrue to their 
benefit and were not charitable enough to blame them- 
selves for the consequences. This was the policy of the 
whites then and has been ever since. 

The history of this section from the Dutch period 
down to the Revolutionary period was that of all other 
sections along the Hudson River. It is the Revolutionary 

24 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

period which furnishes its greatest historic interest to the 
visitor. 

The Battle of Bunker Hill taught King George III and 
his board of strategy two things : First, that the Colonists 
could and would fight effectually, and, second, that to 
conquer them it would be necessary to use a much larger 
army and carefully laid plans. As this board of strategy 
became better acquainted with Washington's tactics and 
ability, they saw that most elaborate and extensive plans 
were necessary. The Hudson River, it was plain, 
was the key to the situation. If this could be secured, 
New England would be separated from the southern 
Colonies, and in this manner they could be kept apart 
and subdued one at a time. To accomplish this it 
was planned to send General Burgoyne to Canada and 
have him invade New York from the head waters of 
the Hudson. 

General Sir Henry Clinton, at New York City, was to 
move up the Hudson and meet Burgoyne at Albany, and 
when this meeting took place the Hudson would be in 
British hands and the beginning of the end of the war in 
sight. Burgoyne was a court favorite and fond of boasting. 
He was given an army of over 8,000 men and a complete 
equipment of arms and ammunition. In these provisions 
was a goodly supply of wine and other delicacies which he 
boasted would grace the table at which he and Clinton 
would sit down on Christmas Day in Albany. It was 
to be one grand triumphal procession, and Burgoyne was 
hailed as the great man of the day. But all these plans 
and boasts were made without consulting Washington, 
Allen, Arnold, Schuyler, Stark and a host of others who 
could have, had they been so disposed, given valuable 

25 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

pointers on fighting in the wilderness and against American 
minute men and American patriots. 

Every locality covered by the girmies in the war of the 
Revolution claims to have a house where Washington had 
his headquarters and where he slept. But judging from 
what he did during that period, he may have had many 
headquarters, but he slept but very little anywhere while 
this campaign was on. By constant hgonmering and 
pleading with Continental Congress, he succeeded in se- 
curing funds to fortify the Hudson River in the Highlands. 
This point was recognized as the most formidable gJong 
the river, for here the river is confined between high 
banks and the current is very swift and the winds uncertain. 
The latter was an important item in those days of sailing 
vessels. The Highlands have ever been an uncertain 
element in the reckoning of river captains who have to 
depend on sails for propulsion. This is caused by the 
whirling and constantly changing currents of air which 
are twisted about by the mountains and valleys of the 
Hudson Highlands. One can get a very realistic demon- 
stration of these air currents by watching low-lying 
clouds passing over the tops of Bear Mountain and 
Anthony's Nose. The fortifications thus erected con- 
sisted of four forts — one at Peekskill, named Fort Inde- 
pendence; two near Bear Mountain, Forts Clinton and 
Montgomery, and one up the river at what is now West 
Point, called Fort Constitution. At Anthony's Nose a 
chain and boom were stretched across the river. This 
chain was 1,800 feet long. In the river just above the 
chain were five ships equipped with guns: two frigates, two 
galleys and an armed sloop, which were destroyed and 
burned when the forts were captured. Fort Independence 

26 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




Map Showing the Fortifications op the Hudson Highlands 
AT Bear Mountain During the Revolutionary Period 

This map was dravm from a survey inade by Major Holland, Surveyor 

General, and Lieutenant John Knight, A. D. 1777. They were 

surveyors in the service of His Majesty King George 

III of England. The original ynap is in the 

archives of the Department of War, 

London. 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

was in command of Israel Putnam, who also had command 
of the other river fortifications at this point. Putnam had a 
considerable force at Fort Independence, consisting largely 
of New England troops. The prime object of Fort Inde- 
pendence was to defend the passes of the Hudson on the 
east shore. Forts Clinton and Montgomery were in imme- 
diate command of Governor George Clinton, first Governor 
of New York, the State capital then being at Kingston. 
Clinton's brother was also in a sub-command at Fort 
Clinton. By an arrangement of beacon fires by night and 
firing of cannon by day, signals were given to the sur- 
rounding country for the assembly of minute men upon 
which the forts depended for support. Forts Clinton and 
Montgomery had only a handful of men constantly at 
the forts. This was the situation when on October 3d, 
1777, Sir Henry Clinton began his movement up the 
river to meet Burgoyne. Knowing the strength of the 
highland fortifications, Clinton had remained at New 
York for reinforcements, while Howe at the same time 
moved against Philadelphia to draw Washington away 
from the Hudson. This move compelled Washington 
to not only go to Philadelphia in person, but to withdraw 
all the troops possible from the Highlands. On moving 
up the river Clinton landed a small force at a point below 
Peekskill in order to deceive Putnam and lead him to 
beheve that Fort Independence and the passes on the 
east shore were to be assaulted. After accomplishing his 
purpose in this direction, he withdrew and landed his 
entire force on the west shore near Stony Point and, 
through the assistance of Tory guides, made his way 
around the Dunderbergs to a point near a hamlet called 
Doodletown, on the back side of Bear Mountain. Here 

£7 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

he divided his forces, the left wing going around Bear 
Mountain on the west and the right wing around Bear 
Mountain on the east; the left wing to attack Fort 
Montgomery and the right Fort Clinton. Putnam made 
as his excuse for being so fooled that a dense fog hung over 
the river and he could not see the movements of the 
British. However, it takes but a casual look at the 
geographical situation to see how easy it would have 
been for Putnam to have placed minute men over and 
around the Dunderbergs, who could have fired signals in 
case the enemy should attempt such a move. And had 
he had the wisdom of a Washington this would have 
been done and the whole of Clinton's force could, no 
doubt, have been bottled up and captured. Governor 
Clinton, however, was not asleep, and had anticipated 
such a move. He had sent scouts along the road, but 
these failed to discover the enemy until they had reached 
Doodletown. Clinton then hurriedly sent a small force 
to meet the enemy and attempt to hold them in check 
till he could get word to Putnam. The messenger first 
sent to Putnam proved a traitor and it was not till late 
in the afternoon, when the boom of artillery awoke Putnam 
from his delusion, that reinforcements were started to 
the relief of Forts Clinton and Montgomery. In the 
meanwhile another detachment was sent around Bear 
Mountain to meet the left wing. The British num- 
bered some 4,000, while those at Forts Clinton and 
Montgomery had mustered only about 600 up to the time 
the forts were assaulted. In those days what is now 
known as the playgrounds at Bear Mountain was heavily 
wooded and the advance squad sent from Fort Clinton 
took advantage of these woods and hotly contested every 

28 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

inch of the ground between Doodletown and Fort GUnton. 
They slowly fell back till they reached an outer work of 
Fort Clinton located at the south end of Highland Lake. 
This consisted of a stone wall covered with logs and 
brush. Here a determined stand was made and some 
200 British and Hessian soldiers fell before the accurate 
fire of Highland farmers. A good part of this stone wall 
is still standing and can be seen by visitors to this part 
of the park. After the battle the bodies of the dead 
were thrown into Highland Lake at this point, and from 
that time on the lake was known as Hessian or Bloody 
Pond. This wall was held till a battery consisting of four 
guns was brought up and a part of it demolished. The 
defenders then retreated to Fort Clinton, some thirty 
rods fgirther north. A portion of the breastworks of 
Fort Chnton are in a perfect state of preservation today 
and are easily reached by the day visitor by a few minutes' 
walk. The squad sent around Bear Mountain to meet 
the left wing carried one field piece and were later rein- 
forced by a second. With these they halted the enemy 
and held them in check for some time, till seeing the 
folly of continuing along the road, the enemy took 
to the surrounding woods and began encircling the brave 
little band holding the road. These then spiked their 
guns and retreated to Fort Montgomery, which lies 
about a mile to the north of Fort Clinton. Then from 
about two o'clock in the afternoon of October 7th, 1777, 
till nightfall this determined handful of patriots de- 
fended the forts. At dusk, after making a formal demand 
of surrender, the British, who outnumbered the de- 
fenders nearly six to one, cheirged with bayonets, and 
took possession of both forts, Putnam's tardy reinforce- 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

merits never reaching the forts. About 230 Americans 
were captm-ed and taken to New York City to suffer 
worse than death in the notorious prison hulks of the 
British. Some have estimated that the British lost over 
600 men. The killed and wounded on the American 
side was never known, but was very light. The reason 
there was no list of the American losses of killed and 
wounded was on account of the haste with which the 
greater part were assembled. They had come at the 
call of the beacon fires and signal gun with flint locks 
taken from above the fireplace and bullets hot from the 
mold. The list of the n£unes of the captured is, how- 
ever, in existence today. On this list is one named 
Vinegar. Pepper and Mustard must have escaped for, 
from the determined and spirited stand they made, it 
is reasonable to suppose they all three were there. 

The victory so dearly bought by the British was 
without profit, for Burgoyne the boastful, who was going 
to do so much, was soon to be a captive in the hainds of 
the Army of the North, and his precious wines and other 
viands in the stomachs of American patriots. So, as 
soon as Sir Henry Clinton learned of this, which was 
not till after he had advanced above the forts and burned 
Kingston, he hurriedly returned to New York City. 
Thus it will be seen that these two old forts performed 
well their part, for by delaying Clinton till Burgoyne 
had been captured, the Hudson Biver, with its vital 
importance to the American cause, was saved, and to 
this day no foe has been its master. No patriotic Ameri- 
can can stand on the remnants of their ramparts without 
a feeling that he is standing on hallowed ground. For 
of all the wars of time, none have been so fruitful of 

30 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




;=3 






^1 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

good to mankind as the war which made possible a haven 
of refuge for the world's oppressed. 

Go stand on their crumbling ramparts, 

Ye who know our nation's past, 
And from the silence that enwraps them 

A nobler purpose cast. 

The subsequent history of this location has but little 
of general interest. The frightful tales of ghosts seen 
around Bloody Pond for many years after the Revolution 
did not make it a spot especially adapted as a pleasure 
resort. It was not till the State of New York chose it 
as a site for Sing Sing prison that it again stepped into 
the limelight. Public sentiment was so strong against 
locating the prison here that, after doing considerable 
work, the State abandoned the project and turned it 
over to the Palisades Interstate Park. From a rough, 
neglected spot, overgrown with brambles and under- 
brush, the Commission has transformed it into a de- 
lightful pleasure resort. While the work here has, in 
a sense, only begun, yet in the very short time this sec- 
tion has been under the jurisdiction of the Park Board, 
it has built paths, cleared away undergrowth, blasted and 
removed many tons of rock and converted the ground 
into a beautiful playground which will accommodate 
thousands. The rock thus removed has been used in 
the construction of roadways and beautifying the locality 
in many other ways. A tastily designed pier has been 
constructed at the landing in the Hudson River where 
the largest river boats may land passengers. A water 
works system has been installed and a sewerage system 
started, the water being pumped from one of the copious 
and chemically pure springs found in abundance in this 

31 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

section. Shelter houses, a dancing floor and a paviUon, 
where hot and cold meals are served by the Commission, 
have been provided. A fleet of nearly 100 boats has 
been placed on Highland Lake and are at the disposal 
of the visitors. A large number of camp sites, including 
camp bottoms, have been prepared. Winding, romantic 
paths have been laid out, and there have also been pro- 
vided a wading pool for httle folks, swings, park benches, 
picnic tables and many other features which tend to en- 
hance the pleasure of a day or season spent at Bear 
Mountain. As before stated, the work has only begun, 
and as the yeeirs pass by this work will continue and a 
wilderness wifl truly " blossom as the rose." While so 
much is being done to improve conditions, it is the aim 
to preserve the natural features as much as possible and 
leave it as near the state created by nature as is prac- 
ticable. Its forest depths, its cosy, romantic spots, will 
be preserved and kept intact. 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Points of Interest 

As every Indian looks alike to the white man, so every 
wooded height, valley, lake and stream looks the same 
to strangers who may see them unacquainted with their 
history. It is for this reason that an introduction to the 
points of interest in this section may prove of interest and 
value. 

Anthony's Nose is an almost bare precipice, rising 
abruptly from the Hudson River near the southern 
entrance of the Hudson Highlands and opposite Bear 
Mountain Park landing. Historians differ as to when and 
why this peak received its name; but, weighing all the 
evidence, the verdict is that the Huguenot missionaries 
named the Hudson River St. Anthony's River, in honor 
of St. Anthony, who was the institutor of monastic life. 
He was born in Coma, Egypt, A.D. 251. The peak which 
bears his ngmae today had at one time a prominent pro- 
jection in the way of a ledge of rock a little way above 
the river, the shape of which gave it the appearance of a 
nose. This was blasted away in 1846 under direction of 
Captain Deering Ayers, engineer of a project to build a 
suspension bridge across the river at this point. This 
bridge company is in existence today and owns the land 
on the west side of the river where the site of Fort Clinton 
is located. On the summit of this peak, in the days of the 
red man, was located an Indian village belonging to the 
Nochpeems, a tribe of the Mohegan nation. A little 
back from its summit is an old copper mine from which 
the Indians obtedned material for pipes and articles of 

33 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

adornment. The range of hills, of which Anthony's 
Nose is a part, is known as the Manitou range. It was 
named by the Indians the Kittelaney, or region of endless 
hills. 

Highland Lake is a small body of water covering some 
40 acres. On account of the clearness of its waters and 
its poetic sm-roundings, it is one of the most beautiful 
little lakes in America. It is fed by mountain springs and 
varies in depth from a few feet to nearly one hundred feet 
in a few places. While it affords most delightful boating 
facilities, owing to the unevenness of its bottom and the 
many cold springs which arise in it, it is very dangerous 
for bathing and this has been prohibited by the Park 
Commission. A boat ride on this lake in the evening is 
a most delightful experience. On one side the rugged side 
of Bear Mountain rises abruptly from the water and the 
varied colors of its forest mantle form a most beautiful 
picture. Off to the north, fading away in a blue, dreamy 
haze, can be seen a range of hills which one can easily 
imagine to be a Summer fairyland. Anthony's Nose and 
the Dunderbergs complete a panorama which only Nature 
is capable of painting. In such an hour, and under such 
a spell, one can easily lose himself in Summer dreams and 
imagine himself idly floating in magic fairyland. 

The remains of Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery 
are both within easy walking distance from the boat 
landing. Fort Clinton lies about ten rods from the 
north shore of Highland Lake. Here a portion of the 
works is plainly visible. The small star-shaped outer 
work, shown on the map of the Revolutionary period, is 
in a perfect state of preservation. The remainder has 
been wholly destroyed in places and only faint traces 

34 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 










THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

are left of other parts. Fort Montgomery is about a 
mile farther to the north and hes in a forest of hemlock 
and other trees. To find these works one would need 
be familiar with the locality or secure one as a guide who 
is. The remains of this fort are very distinct, so much 
so that in portions of the breastworks the gun embrasures 
are still visible. Some day, no doubt, both these Revo- 
lutionary treasures will become a part of the park's 
possessions and will then be given the attention they 
deserve. 

Just before reaching the park landing, and near the 
left shore, is an island described in the deed of land, 
already mentioned as Salsbury Island. This is now called 
lona Island and is the location of a United States Govern- 
ment arsenal and lighthouse. 

About four miles north of Bear Mountain and on the 
west shore of the Hudson lies the grave of Margaret 
Corbin, the heroine of the Battle of Fort Washington, and 
the first woman to receive a pension from our Government. 
This grave, like the old forts, is unmarked and only one 
who is acquainted with its location would be able to find 
it. Some day some patriotic minded person or persons 
may take the trouble to erect a fitting monument over 
her humble resting place. 

Another interesting Revolutionary object is the Old 
Forge, found on the Forest of Dean Mine road, some two 
miles from Bear Mountain. Here parts of the chain 
placed across the river at West Point were made. This 
old forge in many other ways served our country in its 
days of need and peril. 

A very pleasant day can be spent in a trip to the 
Forest of Dean Mines, located some five miles from Bear 

35 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

Mountain. About thirty minutes' walk along this 
famous and historic Forest of Dean road, or Old Mine 
road, as it is locally known, will bring one to the terminus 
of the private mine railway. Here the ore is transferred 
to buckets suspended from an aerial trolley and carried 
down to the Hudson River. After they have been 
unloaded, visitors are permitted to ride back to the mine 
in the empty cars. The railroad winds around the side 
of a lofty hill known as the Torne. Here one can look 
over the side of the car into the valley beneath and secure 
a most fascinating view. It passes on through primeval 
forests, across romantic mountain streams and, after 
descending into and winding along a highland valley 
for a few miles, the mines are reached. Four trips are 
made daily, so that the visitor has plenty time to loiter 
in the picturesque locality, or visit another lake about 
double the size of Highland Lake and situated some two 
miles from the mines. This lake is named Popolopen, 
and is famous for its good fishing. Forest of Dean mine 
is one of the oldest mines in America which is still in 
operation. Its ore is iron and its supply seems to be 
inexhaustible. It was from this mine that a great deal 
of ore was taken to supply the needs of the Colonies 
during the war. Coming back along the Mine road, 
after leaving the railroad, one passes an old sycamore tree, 
which will be pointed out as having in its body many 
bullets. These were fired by the American and British 
as they met, as related in the narration of the capture of 
Forts Clinton and Montgomery, for it was at this point 
that the left wing of the British met the skirmishers from 
Fort Montgomery. 

There are many other interesting trips in store for 

36 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

the one who enjoys a tramp along shady, romantic roads 
or in dimbing mountain sides. West Point, with its 
famous mihtary school, museum, hbrary, parade grounds, 
etc., lies but about an hour's walk to the north. The 
road to West Point from Bear Mountain is one of the 
most delightful found along the Hudson. For a strenu- 
ous mountain climbing trip, requiring an entire day, 
one should follow the winding mountain road over Crow's 
Nest to the village of Cornwall. This road leads one 
through a wild, uninhabited stretch of country heavily 
wooded and as primeval as when the red men used it as 
a hunting ground. Here, on the mountain top, will 
be found a most inspiring view of the Hudson and West 
Point. Occasionally a drove of deer will be encountered, 
and other evidences of isolation from the haunts of men 
will be found in abundance. If one desires, he can return 
by rail to his starting point. 



37 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Harriman Estate Section 

Away back in the hills, some fifteen miles from the 
Hudson River, is Arden, the country home of the late 
Edward H. Harrimeui, the famous railroad king. Mr. 
Harriman began life as a member of a large family be- 
longing to an Episcopal minister. His boyhood days 
were spent as a messenger and in a clerical capacity in 
the famous Wall Street district of New York City. From 
this humble capacity he rose to become a power in the 
industrial and business world. In the hill ranges con- 
tributary to the Hudson River Highlands, he found an 
ideal retreat from the strenuous life of the great city. 
Here he laid out spacious grounds and erected a palatial 
home. Like Stevanus Van Gortlandt of old, he could 
not resist the temptation of acquiring a large tract of 
adjoining hills, valleys, lakes, streams and forests. Yet 
in it all he possessed a vague thought of some day, when 
he could find time, creating a vast park or preserve which 
would forever insure the preservation of the scenic beauties 
of this section. Rut that some day never came to him. 
However, shortly after his death, his widow donated to the 
State of New York ten thousand acres of this land and 
one million of dollars to be used in its improvement. 
Thus it came into possession of the Palisades Interstate 
Park. The western gateway of this vast tract lies on the 
Erie railway in the vicinity of Tuxedo; and that it may 
have a more accessible eastern portal, there is being con- 
structed a magnificent highway from Rear Mountain 
and leading through a large portion of the land donated, 

38 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

and terminating at Tuxedo. This road will enable 
those desirous of a most pleasant drive to penetrate the 
interior of this great park and view its scenic beauties. 
This road will also serve as a trunk from which will lead 
other roads which, in time, will open the entire section 
and make it accessible to both day and season visitors. 
There are many places of scenic and historic interest 
found in this section. Among the features now under 
improvement is what is known as Gar Pond. Here a pond 
and meadow have been so dammed as to produce a lake 
of some 45 acres in extent. Around this lake are being 
provided extensive camp grounds, fitted especially for 
Boy Scouts. A water-works system has been installed, 
an ice house built, shelters erected and many other im- 
provements for the comfort and convenience of those 
visiting this vicinity for a day or season. Included in 
this tract are many other lovely and interesting lakes 
which will afford pleasure and health for thousands as 
soon as they can be made accessible. This section of 
the park has in reserve boundless possibilities which, as 
time will permit, will be developed and brought into 
greater prominence and use. 



39 



the greatest park in the world 

Camping 
A Tent in the Mountains 

We sit at night by the camp fire bright 

While twice-told tales are told, 
And list to the sounds that there abound 

As the mists the hills enfold. 

On the mountains high, where the pine trees sigh, 

The deer calls softly to his mate; 
From the tree tops tall the night bird's call 

Gomes weird and strange and late. 

The cricket's song from the rocks along 

Makes the eyelids droop in sleep, 
Or the thoughts to muse or mind to choose 

Some subject broad and deep. 

The bullfrog's bass from his mossy place 

Beats time in Nature's choir, 
While the stao-s throw out their beams about. 

And the fly his lamp of fire. 

A great white light o'er a rocky height 

Clothes all in a ghostly shroud 
As the moon rides forth on her nightly course, 

Or breaks from a somber cloud. 

'Cross the lake's dark bed there's strangely spread 

A bright path of silvery sheen. 
Which seems like a way to the gates of day, 

Or the isle of Summer dreams. 

The lily, white in its robes of night, 

Opens its heart of gold, 
And scatters incense rare like a goddess fair 

In sacred temples old. 

Here the city's duU roar or sand-parched shore 

Comes as only a troubled dream; 
For here we find rest where Nature has blessed 

With life that's most serene. 

The fire burns low and its embers glow. 
And the night wind breathes a prayer. 

And lulls us to sleep and to dreams as sweet 
And pure as the mountain air. 

40 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




S5 












THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

The pleasure and profit which will be the share of one 
seeking out-of-door recreation through the means of 
camp life will depend largely on one's knowledge of the 
habits of Nature and his ability to meet Nature advan- 
tageously on her own ground. The joys of camp life 
may be spoiled by an attempt to live too near the rules 
of permanent home life or, on the other hand, abandoning 
all rules of civilized or even primitive living. For example, 
some seem to think that a tent was made to live in. On 
the contrary, it should be considered only as a shelter from 
the elements. The woods and fields should be the place 
of living and the tent the least used of aU. Again, the 
preparing of proper food in the proper manner is a most 
important adjunct to happy and enjoyable camp life. 

The first and most important item in camping is to 
select a proper camp site. It is natural to choose some 
shady, romantic spot for the tent. But shade and ro- 
mance should be left to out-of-door living. The tent 
should be pitched on ground with proper drainage and as 
free from dampness as possible. It should be so placed as 
to receive a few hours of bright sunlight each day. This 
is important, as it is necessary to free the tent of damp- 
ness which, in the best of locations, will permeate it at 
night. A dry, airy tent and bedding are vital to a health- 
ful and pleasant night's rest. Another item of equal 
importance is water. There is no water so healthful as 
that of a clear, cold, pure spring. This should be a 
natural spring with its water bubbling up out of the 
earth's depth and not as seepage from the surface of 
the ground. Surface water is contaminated with all that 
lies on the surface of the ground or with which it comes 
in contact. But even a natural spring may become contami- 

41 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

nated by allowing impure matter on its water-shed. If the 
water supply be c£irefully selected and taken care of, two- 
thirds of the difficulties of camp life are done away with. 
As in many other things, the pleasure of camping does 
not depend on the amount of money expended, but on the 
intelligence exercised. Everything possible should be 
planned to eliminate as much work as possible, yet 
provide the necessary comforts. Some of the greatest 
pleasures in camping will be found in fixing up camp. As 
before stated, the tent should be considered only as a 
place of shelter. It is the tent surroundings which 
should receive the greatest amount of attention. The true 
sportsman will scorn a soft couch, but one who has been 
suddenly transported from a comfortable bed to the 
forest wilds will not find the hard ground a pleasant or 
comfortable place for rest. Consequently, cosy corners 
among the trees, consisting of bought or c£unp-made 
hammocks or seats, will be found most desirable. Fold- 
ing camp cots will cost from $1.50 to $5.00 each and 
will answer very well for those who do not care for the 
expense incurred. But equally as good, if not better, 
cots can be made for a small sum of money and will be 
found much easier to transport to and from camp. Such 
cots consist of a couple of yards of 12-ounce duck canvas 
with a loop sown along each side through which poles 
may be run. The ends of the poles should project far 
enough to give a secure anchorage for the cot. By placing 
a cross-piece between the poles at each end to keep them 
from drawing together and placing the ends on stakes or a 
block of wood sufficiently high from the ground to give 
proper or desired height, a most comfortable bed is to be 
had. Then, when the cot is not in use, it can be set 

4>2 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




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THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

aside and put into small space. Upon breaking up 
camp the poles can be discarded and the canvas made 
into a small, light bundle. Such cots need not cost more 
than fifty or seventy-five cents each at the most. 

All bedding should be thoroughly aired and dried each 
day. In the way of bedding the main item is to provide 
quantity. The evenings in all mountain or hilly regions 
are chilly as a rule and plenty of covering is a necessity 
for comfort. A good double wool or heavy cotton blanket 
will suffice for each person except in extreme cases. 

There are but few who know how to build a serviceable 
camp fire. To do this with a minimum of fuel and at 
the same time secure a maximum of serviceable heat is an 
art. The American Indian, perhaps, of all races, had 
reduced that art to its greates.t degree of fineness. The 
fire built by the white man was a standing joke with 
the Indian. The Indian's fire consisted of a few small 
twigs so placed as to concentrate the blaize and heat at 
one point and eliminate as much smoke as possible. To 
accomplish this he frequently placed his fuel on end with 
the tops brought closely together in the form of a cone. 
In this manner he secured a perfect draught and in a 
surprisingly short time eliminated the smoke and pro- 
duced a bed of hot coals over which he cooked his food. 
A small rock placed in the center will support the fuel 
and have a tendency to hold the heat. Fuel laid flat will 
soon become compact and shut off the draught which 
smothers the blaze and gives forth only smoke. If one 
is to occupy a camp site for any considerable length of 
time, it will be found profitable to lay a wall of earth or 
stone having three sides with one end left open. Across 
the top of this can be laid a netting of wire to support 

43 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

cooking utensils or to lay poles or rods on which can be 
hung pots, etc. In addition to the convenience thus 
afforded, the walls will keep the wind from blowing the 
fire and ashes, thus insuring more comfort in cooking and 
safety from forest fires. By placing the fuel in the form of 
a cone, as before described, the heat will be centered and 
a strong draught secured which will keep the smoke at its 
lowest volume. A more perfect fire-place can be had by 
covering the top of the walls with a piece of tin or sheet 
iron, leaving a small space at the back for the escape of 
smoke. This method will keep the cooking utensils from 
becoming covered with smoke and will, to eJI intents and 
purposes, perform the functions of a kitchen stove. 

There is another ^e; almost as useful in camp as the 
fire for cooking and that is the evening camp fire. No 
evening in camp is perfect without the camp fire. This 
fire, while on a much larger scale, should be built much 
as the fire for cooking. The tops of the fuel should be 
secured by a hoop which will keep it from falling apart 
after the fire has got under way. In building such a fire, 
a quantity of dry leaves and small twigs should be placed 
in the center. Around this the longer fuel is placed. When 
the fire is lighted a shaft of flame wiU be shot skyward and 
the effect will be most cheering and fascinating. If the outer 
fuel be a little damp, all the better, as it will last longer, and, 
if anything, burn with greater beauty. The camp fire is the 
inspiration of evening stories or Summer dreams. In addi- 
tion to this, it will dispel the evening chill and afford a 
most enjoyable hour between nightfall and bedtime. 

In pitching the tent its drainage should be carefully 
looked to. If a tent bottom is used, and the tent does 
not cover the bottom completely, the exposed portion 

44 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



i^^^mi^m^ 






M^^Km 




1^ 







THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

should slant away from the tent. Then, instead of the 
water running through the tent, it will run away from it. 
If a tent bottom is not used, a ditch should be dug around 
the tent with an outlet leading away from the lower side. 

Now a few more words as to the tent itself. Its ma- 
terial should not be lighter than ten ounce. Then if the 
roof be sufficiently steep, a fly will not be necessary. The 
advantages claimed for a fly are that it keeps out the 
rain and glare of the sun. But for reasons already given, 
the sun is a vital necessity each day, and when it is shining 
the tent is not needed, so that the sun's glare wiU not be 
objectionable as it is at such times the cozy nooks about 
camp will be in use. If a roof should not shed the water, 
a little parafiine melted in gasoline and spread over the 
roof will insure it performing its functions. 

The smallest tent which can be occupied with comfort 
by two persons is a nine by nine feet. This leaves plenty 
of room for cots and storage of camp equipment, which 
cannot be conveniently left on the outside. Of course, any 
shelter wiU answer the purpose as an absolute necessity and 
can be as primitive and simple as desired, but such will 
serve only as a makeshift while roughing it. 

For those who desire to spend an entire season in 
camp and enjoy the comforts of home, a portable camp 
house will be found most enjoyable. To provide one's 
self with such it is not necessary to make an outlay of a 
hundred or more doUars usuaUy asked for such houses. A 
framework of hght poles made of one-inch and one-quarter 
round, and connected with iron joints consisting of 
pieces of common piping with ordinary T connections for 
cross supports, will cost from $5.00 to $10.00 for a house 
10 by 15 or 10 by 20 feet with a 6-foot wall. The walls 

45 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

and roof made of 10-ounce duck will cost about $20 more. 
Then allowing $5.00 for odds and ends, the entire house 
c^n be had for from $30.00 to $35.00. A saw and hammer 
are all that one needs to put it together. A day's work 
with a sewing machine will make the cover. To assist 
those who may care to avail themselves of such a Summer 
home, the following directions are offered: 

Fig. I is a floor plan. A is bedroom, B sitting room, G 
dining-room and kitchen. D is a home-made couch which 
will be found most convenient for an afternoon nap on 
rainy days or can be used for a seat. The bedroom, if the 
house be 10 by 20 feet, will accommodate four cots. Fig. 
II is elevation of frame work, side view. The walls should 
be six feet in height and the ridge pole four feet higher. 
Fig. Ill is end view of frame elevation. Note that the 
lower ends of the ridge pole supports do not come out to 
the wall line. The reason for this is that these supports 
should not touch the roof canvas. If they do the roof is 
likely to leak. The two cross center walls should be 
constructed the same as the ends, with the exception that 
there is no provision for window. In sewing the canvas 
care should be exercised to see that the end windows and 
back center window take two breadths as well as the 
front door. The other windows require but one breadths 
A house of convenient size will require eight breadths of 
canvas the long way and four across each end. Round 
foot plates with socket or angle irons should be used at 
the base of all upright framework reaching the floor. If 
a floor is used, the canvas should be tacked around the 
bottom to the floor and around the windows and door to 
the framework. Such a house will be found most com- 
fortable and will insure a delightful Summer vacation. 

46 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



1 I — 1 I I 



u~ 



/^ioir. 




Plans for Portable Summer House 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Forest Preservation 

But few appreciate the great value and vital im- 
portance of our forests. In early days, in the West, the 
hot winds which each season swept over the prairies and 
plains country, burning up vegetation and destroying life, 
were the greatest hindrance to settlement. These winds, 
through the planting of artificial forests, have disap- 
peared and today what was known as The Great American 
Desert is now the granary of America. The gentle, un- 
dulating prairies are no more vast stretches of dry prairie 
grass, reflecting the torrid heat of the sun, for as far as 
the eye can see appear forests of all kinds of trees known 
to that latitude. These gather moisture, break the 
winds and throw off those elements so necessary to both 
animal and vegetable life. In short, the artificial forests 
of the West have made possible the greatest and 
most fertile agricultural belt on the American continent. 
Ignorance and indifference to this great fact have led to 
the denuding of the forest sections of not only the Atlantic 
seaboard, but elsewhere. In the 14th annual report of the 
Commissioners of Palisades Interstate Park will be found 
some exceedingly interesting and valuable data as to 
what is being done and planned for the future in the way 
of forest preservation throughout the park. During the 
Summer of 1914 an army of men has been busy pruning, 
trimming and clearing the forests in different parts of the 
park. The less promising trees and unprofitable and 
hindering growth have been cleared away and, while a 
continuous canopy of overhead branches has been left, 

47 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

where such was possible, the general appearance of the 
forests has been greatly improved and the remaining trees 
given much greater opportunity to grow. The market- 
able cuttings have been made into cordwood the value of 
which has gone a long way toward paying the cost of 
clearing. This surplus growth will, in time, not only 
pay for the forest maintenance, but leave a balance on 
the profit side. On spots where, on account of forest 
fires or careless cutting, the ground has been left bare, 
new trees are being planted. The park is installing an 
extensive nursery of its own by which tree planting can be 
carried on at a minimum of cost. Thus the park will 
soon become another example of what can be done for 
the promotion of the public good. 



48 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Henry Hudson Drive 

Ever since the Hudson River assumed commercial 
importance and received world-wide fame from a scenic 
standpoint, the necessity of a more direct and convenient 
highway along its western shore has been painfully evi- 
dent. This necessity has resulted in what is now known 
as the Henry Hudson Drive. This project has for its 
aim the building of an efficient highway along the west 
shore of the river from the Palisades to Albany. This 
great highway is now under construction and is being 
rapidly pushed to completion. Only those who have 
taken passage on a Hudson River boat from New York 
City to Albany can fully realize the obstacles to be sur- 
mounted and the value which will accrue from its use 
when completed. Space will not permit a detailed re- 
view of this, but the whole matter can be summed up in 
saying that after mountain ranges have been pierced, 
gorges and rivers have been bridged, hills and vaJleys 
properly graded and an enduring and efficient roadbed 
laid, no highway on the globe will render greater practical 
service or offer more entrancing pleasures. This great 
highway will pass through some sixty miles of the greatest 
park in the world and will lend to and receive from the 
park inestimable value. 



49 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Police Department 

For fear some may believe this great park is a wil- 
derness inhabited only by wild animals and a rendezvous 
for outlaws, it is well to call attention to the fact that it 
is policed by an efficient and thoroughly organized body of 
men. These men are on duty both night and day in 
such sections as are ready for visitors, and as perfect 
order is maintained as in any metropolitan park. Aside 
from being c£tretakers, they are officers of the State, with 
full powers of the State constabulary. However, it is to 
the credit of the visitors to this park that but few arrests 
are necessary, as everyone seems to feel he is a guest of 
the park and that as especial provisions have been made 
for his comfort, it behooves him to show his appreciation. 
The police force is chosen leirgely from men who gire 
natives of the section in which they serve. Thus they are 
able to render the greatest service through their ac- 
quaintance with the locality. The accompanying photo- 
graph shows a group of these officers as they appear at 
Bear Mountain. This force is under the direction of a 
chief, to whom they are responsible for the posts to which 
they are assigned. It will be interesting to know that 
many of the men shown in this picture are descendants 
of those Highland patriots who so nobly defended this 
section against our nation's foe during Revolutionary 
days, and as through them the spirit of the days of 1776 
still Uves, the park's interests, as well as the safety and 
comfort of its visitors, are in good hands. 

60 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Other Sections of the Park 

While in this book the park has been presented in 
three sections, there are other points along the Hudson 
River which do not properly come under either of these 
sections, among which is Hook Mountain and Blauvelt. 

At Hook Mountain quarrying interests have been 
most active and a point of especial scenic interest was 
fast being destroyed. This the park has secured and is 
converting into an attractive playground. 

At Blauvelt is a tract comprising some 324 acres of 
land and at the time it was secured by the park had 
severed improvements in the way of buildings which £ire 
now being used for the benefit of visitors. Here the 
park has proA ided most delightful accommodations for 
a Summer camp for girls. This, the past two seasons, 
has been conducted under the efficient management of 
the Young Women's Christian Association, Here a most 
pleasant and profitable Summer vacation is within reach of 
working girls, and thousands are availing themselves of it. 

The camp is thoroughly organized and conducted in a 
most systematic and orderly manner. Nearly every sort of 
amusement is provided and no Summer resort can boast of 
greater natural or more beneficied attractions for those who 
desire comfort and enjoyment at a minimum of expense. 

These sections are only links in the great chain reach- 
ing along the Hudson River, but, as at other points, they 
have demonstrated their value many times in excess of 
their cost. These values will increase and the great good 
they will do will be multiplied as the years roll by. 

51 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



Points of Interest Along the Hudson 

Every headlemd, hill, valley and stream along the 
Hudson has its story, and that some of these may have 
opportunity to tell such, the writer has inserted this 
chapter. 

The first landing after leaving New York City is 
Yonkers — Der Yonker's Landt, as it was first named by 
the Dutch. When the Dutch settled New York, or New 
Amsterdam, as they called it, they brought over from 
Holland the feudal land system of that country. The 
rule in America was that anyone who in four years planted 
a colony with fifty souls was granted a manor or patron- 
ship and given the title of Lord of the Manor. Among 
those who had ambitions in this direction was Adrian Van 
Der Donk, the first lawyer in New York City. Through 
services rendered and financial assistance given to the 
new colony, he received a large tract of land where the 
city of Yonkers now stands; and while he was not, 
strictly speaking. Lord of the Manor, he was looked upon 
as of the gentleman class. Consequently, his land was 
spoken of as " The Gentleman's Land," or, in Dutch, 
Der Yonker's Landt. Thus the name Yonkers grew out of 
it. Among other improvements made by Van Der Donk 
was the erection of a saw mill on a small stream, which 
to this day is called Saw Mill Creek. The biography of 
this old Dutchman would not only be interesting reading 
but of a necessity constitute a history of the early Dutch 
in New York City. 

Dobbs Ferry plays a prominent part in the early 



THi': am: AT EST riiiK ix the world 




THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

history of the river and especially of the Revolution. 
It received its name from a man by the name of Dobbs 
who, for many years, operated a ferry across the river 
at this point. It was near here that Arnold, the traitor, 
and Andre, the British spy, first attempted to meet. 
It was an important and strategic point with both armies 
during the Revolutionary War. There are many inter- 
esting old landmarks found in this vicinity and the fre- 
quent mention by writers of AmericEin history of this 
landing includes many of them. 

Tarrytown has been made immortal by Washington 
Irving's Legends of Sleepy Hollow. Tradition says it 
received its name from being a loitering or loafing place 
for convivial Dutchmen whose thrifty wives most strongly 
disapproved of their conduct and in contempt named it 
Tarrytown. It was at Tarrytown that Major Andre, 
the British spy, was captured by three minute men. 
Sleepy Hollow is a deep ravine just outside the village 
of Tarrytown and is the mecca of many travelers inter- 
ested in American history and literature. Here will be 
found the little brook over which Ichabod Crane thun- 
dered on the erratic Gunpowder in his attempt to escape 
from the headless horseman. Sleepy Hollow church and 
cemetery lie on the sloping side of Sleepy Hollow and 
among the graves of many noted persons is that of Wash- 
ington Irving and the Irving family. In this cemetery 
will also be found the last resting places of many staid old 
Dutch burghers who, in their day, made this region one of 
quaint pastoral beauty. The old church remains today 
much as it did centuries ago and is an object of much 
interest to visitors. 

Tappan lies a little above and on the opposite shore 
53 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

and at the southern end of the " Tappan Zee," orTappan 
sea, so named on account of the width of the river at 
this point. This locahty is also rich in legends and 
points of historic interest. 

On the right or east side of the river a little farther 
up stream is the village of Ossining, site of the famous 
State penitentiary, Sing Sing. The erection of this prison 
began in 1829 and the buildings completed then are still 
in use today as the burial place of men still living — for 
incarceration in their damp, death-breeding weJIs is 
nothing less. Some day, no doubt, society will learn 
that persecution is not reformation, and destruction of 
£dl that tends to make man better does not accomplish 
the most possible in our institutions for correction. Os- 
sining derives its name from a tribe of Indians named 
Sinck Sincks, or, as it is sometimes called, Ossinksinks. 
From this name both the village and prison have derived 
their names. The land on which the village and prison 
stand was purchased from the Indians on August 13th, 
1685, by Frederick Philipse and becEime part of the 
great Philipse manor. The village of Groton a little 
farther up, is the site of the famous Groton reservoir, 
from which New York Gity receives a large portion of 
its water. The village is named after the famous Indian 
chief, Groton, who was a powerful factor among the 
Indians of his nation, the Mohegans, and possessed many 
virtues for which the first settlers had reason to be thank- 
ful. Here were also located an Indian village and a 
burying ground. The name of this village was Kitchawan. 

Across the river from Groton, and a little to the north, 
is the village of Haverstraw. This village is named after 
a tribe of Indians who occupied the region and had their 

54 



THE (UIKATEST P.lRk' IX THE WORLD 




1^ 



< ^ «2 ^ 









THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

seat of local government where the village of Haverstraw 
now stands. The Haverstraws were quite powerful and 
are frequently mentioned in early land deeds of this 
section. One of their deeds has received mention in 
connection with the Bear Mountain land purchase. 

Stony Point, the scene of " Mad Anthony's " famous 
and successful exploit during the Revolution, is another 
especially interesting and celebrated spot. Anthony 
Wayne was one of the many valuable men which the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania gave to the forces of 
Washington. His capture of Stony Point, while his 
most sensational act, was only one of his many deeds of 
daring. The capture of Stony Point, which won him not 
only the praise of his countrymen, but the admiration of 
England as well, was of great value to the American 
cause. As the story of this exploit is found in every 
American history, space will not be given to it here. One 
item not often mentioned is worth giving, as it shows how 
carefully the assault was planned. It is said that he 
caused every dog in the vicinity to be killed and every 
person suspected of having Tory leanings to be jailed or 
kept under guard, so that the enemy would in no way 
learn of their approach. And so successful was he in 
this that very strong and important fortifications were 
captured almost without a struggle or loss of a man. 
Interesting remains and relics of this fortification are 
being carefully preserved and may be seen by the visitor 
to this place. 

Across the river from Stony Point, and a few miles 
above, is the village of Peekskill. It is named after the 
first white settler, a man named Peek. The kill is the 
Dutch word for a small streeon, and in this case refers to 

55 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

a small creek emptying into the Hudson at this place, 
originally called Peek's Greek, or Peekskill. At this 
place General Putnam made his headquarters for a con- 
siderable time and whUe here built Fort Independence, 
traces of which can yet be seen. Here was also another 
Indian village named Sachoos. 

lona Island is the last point of interest before reaching 
Bear Mountain. Here the United States Government has 
a large arsenal from which the Department of the East 
draws a large part of its ammunition. Here also is a 
lighthouse which each night lights the entrance to the 
southern end of the Hudson Highland passage. 

From here on to Albany the shores of the Hudson con- 
tain many points of great historic interest; but as it is the 
purpose of this book to tell only the story of the greatest 
park in the world, we will not go beyond its borders. 



56 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



General Information 

In solving the problem of transportation to the different 
sections of the park, the Commission has provided a special 
ferry boat service to the PaUsades, so that those desiring 
to spend the day or a season there will have a quick and 
easy means of going and returning. Bear Mountain Hes 
up the river about forty miles from New York and is 
reached by the West Shore Railroad or river boats. The 
round trip fare by rail is $1.75, and the coromuting fare 
is $11.50 per month. Trains can be had at almost any 
hour in the day coming and going. It takes about an 
hour and a half to make the trip by rail and two hours 
by boat. The round trip fare by boat is fifty cents, with 
half fare for children. 

Accommodations have been provided at Bear Moun- 
tain for serving refreshments, including hot and cold 
meals. This is under the supervision of the Commission. 
There are no intoxicating Hquors sold in or near the park. 
It is the aim of the Commission to seU all food at a price 
which will only cover the cost of producing and serving. 
The popularity of this feature has been many times 
demonstrated the season just passed. The Commis- 
sion's office at Bear Mountain is equipped with a long 
distguice telephone which is at the service of visitors. 
Through this office also mail can be received by ad- 
dressing letters to lona Island, New York, in care of 
Palisades Interstate Park. 



57 



THE QBE ATE ST PARK IN THE WORLD 



History of Palisades Park Interstate 
Commission 

Now that we have read and become somewhat ac- 
quainted with the great work done and being done by 
this Commission, a few words as to the personnel and 
history of this Commission will be of interest. 

The necessity of preserving the Palisades became evi- 
dent years before the Commission came into existence. 
The first move in this direction was an attempt to induce 
the United States Government to purchase a tract of 
land including the Palisades and use it for a mihtary 
reservation. In 1895 a resolution was introduced into the 
Legislatures of New York and New Jersey for " a mihtary 
fortification and reservation." After being carried in both 
Legislatures, the matter was submitted to the House 
Committee on Military Affairs in the fifty-fourth Congress. 
The proposal was not accepted then and was again refused 
when submitted to the fifty-fifth Congress. The pro- 
moters of the enterprise were not discouraged, however, 
and in 1899 a bill was passed in the Legislature of New 
Jersey empowering the Governor to appoint a committee 
of five to " report on the present condition of the Palisades 
and suggest some remedy or remedies to prevent the 
Palisades from defacement and depredation." This 
movement was carried forward by the Federation of 
Women's Clubs, and to the good women of New Jersey 
must a great deal of credit be given for bringing about 
what is today the greatest park in the world. New 
York State was not lacking in interest. Among those 

58 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

prominent in promoting the project in New York were 
Andrew H. Green, " Father of Greater New York," and 
the then Governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt. 
The New York Legislature passed a resolution similar to 
that passed by New Jersey and Governor Roosevelt 
appointed a committee to confer with the one from New 
Jersey. After conferences covering nearly a yesir, a 
definite plan was decided upon. The next step was the 
securing of such legislation as was necessary for the ap- 
pointing of a permanent Commission with powers to pur- 
chase and hold for each State such lands as were con- 
sidered necessary to carry out the plan agreed upon. 
Such legislation was promptly forthcoming in New 
York, and a bill was signed by Governor Roosevelt, 
March 22, 1900. In New Jersey, however, the matter 
was not so easy. Powerful quarry interests used 
their influence, if not money, to defeat the legisla- 
tion. But, as in most instances where there is a great 
cause backed by earnest, determined men and women, 
the day was won and the Commission became an estab- 
lished fact. 

The members of this Commission have changed but 
little since the first ones were appointed. The names of 
those first appointed were as follows : From New York — 
George W. Perkins, J. DuPratt White, Ralph Trautmann, 
D. McNeely Stauffer and Nathan F. Barrett; from New 
Jersey — Abreun S. Hewitt, Edwin A. Stevens, Franklin 
W. Hopkins, William A. Linn and Abram De Ronde. The 
names of the Commissioners now holding ofiice are as 
follows: From New York — George W Perkins, J. Du 
Pratt White, Edward L. Partridge, William H. Porter, 
Nathan F. Barrett; from New Jersey — Franklin W. 

39 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

Hopkins, Edwin A. Stevens, Richard V. Lindabury, 
Frederick G. Sutro and Charles Whiting Baker. 

These men are representative citizens of these two 
States, and are men of large affairs, broad views of life 
and of such type as dream dreams by which nations 
advance and the human race is elevated. And so long as 
the present poUcy of the park control is pinrsued, its 
future is assured and the greatest good will accrue to the 
greatest number. 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 



A Prophecy 
A Dream 

I sat one eve by the camp fire's glow 
While the shadows built a wall 

Around on the dark forest glade 
And the stately tree tops tall. 

Nature's choir sang its droning song 

And the stars celestial seemed, 
Until at last, in slumber wrapped, 

I dreamed a wondrous dream. 

Where forest stood a city rose 
And its streets with fetid breath 

Were thronged with old and children young 
PoUced by the reaper Death. 

On beds of pain in silent wards, 

Or in attics vile and dim 
The fevered sick tossed restlessly, 

All nursed by that reaper, grim. 

Young children fair with Hfe before 
Were smirched with the city's slime; 

Youth who only pure should know 
Were tasting the fruits of crime. 

As thus I gazed in horror bound. 

An angel with magic wand 
Emptied the streets and beds of pain 

Aiid flew to the fields beyond. 

And there in Nature's wondrous school. 
In its streams and skies of blue, 

They washed their stains and fevered brows 
And blossomed to health anew. 
61 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

As before stated, this book has not been written as 
an advertisement of Palisades Interstate Park or of anyone 
connected with it. Nor has the Commission had any 
hand in its making other than to extend courtesies to the 
writer which would aid him in gathering the necessary 
material. Therefore, the writer feels at liberty to give 
free rein to his fancy and prophesy to his heart's content 
as to the future of this great park. If it should so happen 
that some of his prophecies come true, it will be on account 
of his powers of prophecy and not because of advance 
information given him by anyone in position to give such. 

I have called this The Greatest Park in the World, and 
have done so only after two seasons' study and observa- 
tion of the park at short range. True greatness consists 
not in fame or power, but is 'the crown placed on the brow 
of one who so uses his talents as to best benefit and elevate 
mankind. There are other great parks, great in extent 
and fame, and in these two points much greater than is 
the park which is the subject of this book; but, considering 
its possibilities for doing good to the greatest number, 
it easily becomes the greatest park in the world. 

There is a well recognized element in the make-up of 
States and individueJs, which prompts praise and support 
of anything which has proven its ability to succeed in 
spite of such support. But the time is not far distant when 
the States most directly interested will awake to the 
fact that this great park is their largest dividend-paying 
investment. A few parents have already caught the 
thought that camp life during vacation time is the best 
life for their children. If every child in New York City or 
in any other city could spend a month at least of each 
Summer living close to Nature, the expense of our juvenile 



THE GREATEST PARK IX THE WORLD 







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Nature's Schoolroom 

One o/ the numerotis schoolrooms of Nature found in this great park. " Here 

she will enroll these restless souls in her great school,- teach them her ways, 

shou' them her children, and gently lead them to the Great Creator of alV 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

courts and public hospitals would be greatly decreased, 
and our social life would become more pure. This much is 
not a dream. PaUsades Interstate Park offers ideal 
conditions by which such a state of affairs can be brought 
about. The park's forest-clad domains will become the 
seat of numerous cities whose houses are made of canvas, 
whose streets are carpeted by Nature's velvet green, 
whose water supply comes bubbling from the rocks out of 
Nature's wonderful distillery, and whose air is from the 
uncontaminated and boundless billows of heaven. These 
streets will lead to green fields bedecked with Nature's 
fairest wild flowers and to woodlands ringing with the 
songs of Nature's undisturbed minstrels. Here Nature 
will enroll these restless, impatient souls in her great 
school, teach them her ways, show them her children and 
gently lead them toward the Great Creator of all. 

The beautiful sunsets, the wondrous cloudlands, the 
brilliant constellations of heaven's evening canopy will 
awaken that city dulled element in their souls which will 
make them broader and deeper and prepare them for 
more efficient citizenship. As these conditions become 
more and more apparent, there is no need which will not 
be promptly and gladly filled by the people through 
themselves or their representatives; and as the great 
work goes on, other States and municipalities will catch 
the spirit, and the youth of our land, who are the actors 
of the coming generation, will be given opportunity to de- 
velop the best there is in them in the place of each 
vacation season becoming burden bearers or workshops 
of Satan. 

Call this a dream if you will, but don't lose sight of the 
fact that during the season of 1914 there has been going on 

63 



THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WORLD 

in this great park, on a small scale, what will, as the 
years go by, become the picture I have pednted. 

This, my readers, is the purpose and future of this 
great peirk. If it is your good fortune to stand some hazy, 
dreamy, Summer day beneath the folds of Old Glory, 
floating proudly from the flagstaff on Beau* Mountain 
Plateau, may this vision come to you as it has to me and 
you will become enwrapped, as I have been, and wiU say 
with me, " This is the Greatest Park in the World." 



64 



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PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. L.P. 
1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township. PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 







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